US CMA Syllabus 2023: ICMA has released the US CMA 2023 syllabus through its official website. Candidates taking US CMA 2023 are advised to go through the US CMA course syllabus to plan their preparations. The US CMA syllabus 2023 has been released for both Part 1 and Part 2. The syllabus of US CMA comprises important topics and areas that will be covered in the exam. It will also give candidates an idea about which topics to focus on the most. Along with the US CMA syllabus 2023, candidates are also advised to go through the exam pattern specified by authorities. Read on to find detailed information on CMA US syllabus for Part 1 and 2, exam pattern and other related topics.
Given below is the list of CMA US subjects contained in the syllabus.
CMA USA Part 1 Syllabus: Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics Syllabus | External Financial Reporting Decisions |
Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting | |
Performance Management | |
Cost Management | |
Internal Controls | |
Technology and Analytics | |
CMA USA Part 2 Syllabus: Strategic Financial Management | Financial Statement Analysis |
Corporate Finance | |
Decision Analysis | |
Risk Management | |
Investment Decisions | |
Professional Ethics |
The syllabus of US CMA 2023 has been given below in table format. The left column comprises the main topics or subject and the right column contains the sub topics. The detailed CMA USA Syllabus for both Part 1 and Part 2 has been given below:
A. External Financial Reporting Decisions (15% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Financial statements a. Balance sheet b. Income statement c. Statement of changes in equity d. Statement of cash flows e. Integrated reporting | |
2. Recognition, measurement, valuation, and disclosure a. Asset valuation b. Valuation of liabilities c. Equity transactions d. Revenue recognition e. Income measurement f. Major differences between U.S. GAAP and IFRS | ||
B. Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting (20% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Strategic planning a. Analysis of external and internal factors affecting strategy b. Long-term mission and goals c. Alignment of tactics with long-term strategic goals d. Strategic planning models and analytical techniques e. Characteristics of a successful strategic planning process | |
2. Budgeting concepts a. Operations and performance goals b. Characteristics of a successful budget process c. Resource allocation d. Other budgeting concepts | ||
3. Forecasting techniques a. Regression analysis b. Learning curve analysis c. Expected value | ||
4. Budgeting methodologies a. Annual business plans (master budgets) b. Project budgeting c. Activity-based budgeting d. Zero-based budgeting e. Continuous (rolling) budgets f. Flexible budgeting | ||
5. Annual profit plan and supporting schedules a. Operational budgets b. Financial budgets c. Capital budgets | ||
6. Top-level planning and analysis a. Pro forma income b. Financial statement projections c. Cash flow projections | ||
C. Performance Management (20% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Cost and variance measures a. Comparison of actual to planned results b. Use of flexible budgets to analyse performance c. Management by exception d. Use of standard cost systems e. Analysis of variation from standard cost expectations | |
2. Responsibility centers and reporting segments a. Types of responsibility centers b. Transfer pricing c. Reporting of organizational segments | ||
3. Performance measures a. Product profitability analysis b. Business unit profitability analysis c. Customer profitability analysis d. Return on investment e. Residual income f. Investment base issues g. Key performance indicators (KPIs) h. Balanced scorecard | ||
D. Cost Management (15% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Measurement concepts a. Cost behavior and cost objects b. Actual and normal costs c. Standard costs d. Absorption (full) costing e. Variable (direct) costing f. Joint and by-product costing | |
2. Costing systems a. Job order costing b. Process costing c. Activity-based costing d. Life-cycle costing | ||
3. Overhead costs a. Fixed and variable overhead expenses b. Plant-wide vs. departmental overhead c. Determination of allocation base d. Allocation of service department costs | ||
4. Supply chain management a. Lean resource management techniques b. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) c. Theory of Constraints d. Capacity management and analysis | ||
5. Business process improvement a. Value chain analysis b. Value-added concepts c. Process analysis, redesign, and standardization d. Activity-based management e. Continuous improvement concepts f. Best practice analysis g. Cost of quality analysis h. Efficient accounting processes | ||
E. Internal Controls (15% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Governance, risk, and compliance a. Internal control structure and management philosophy b. Internal control policies for safeguarding and assurance c. Internal control risk d. Corporate governance e. External audit requirements | |
2. System controls and security measures a. General accounting system controls b. Application and transaction controls c. Network controls d. Backup controls e. Business continuity planning | ||
F. Technology and Analytics (15% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Information systems a. Accounting information systems b. Enterprise resource planning systems c. Enterprise performance management systems | |
2. Data governance a. Data policies and procedures b. Life cycle of data c. Controls against security breaches | ||
3. Technology-enabled finance transformation a. System development life cycle b. Process automation c. Innovative applications | ||
4. Data analytics a. Business intelligence b. Data mining c. Analytic tools d. Data visualization |
A. Financial Statement Analysis (20% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Basic financial statement analysis a. Common size financial statements b. Common base year financial statements | |
2. Financial ratios a. Liquidity b. Leverage c. Activity d. Profitability e. Market | ||
3. Profitability analysis a. Income measurement analysis b. Revenue analysis c. Cost of sales analysis d. Expense analysis e. Variation analysis | ||
4. Special issues a. Impact of foreign operations b. Effects of changing prices and inflation c. Impact of changes in accounting treatment d. Accounting and economic concepts of value and income e. Earnings quality | ||
B. Corporate Finance (20% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Risk and return a. Calculating return b. Types of risk c. Relationship between risk and return | |
2. Long-term financial management a. Term structure of interest rates b. Types of financial instruments c. Cost of capital d. Valuation of financial instruments | ||
3. Raising capital a. Financial markets and regulation b. Market efficiency c. Financial institutions d. Initial and secondary public offerings e. Dividend policy and share repurchases f. Lease financing | ||
4. Working capital management a. Working capital terminology b. Cash management c. Marketable securities management d. Accounts receivable management e. Inventory management f. Types of short-term credit g. Short-term credit management | ||
5. Corporate restructuring a. Mergers and acquisitions b. Other forms of restructuring | ||
6. International finance a. Fixed, flexible, and floating exchange rates b. Managing transaction exposure c. Financing international trade | ||
C. Decision Analysis (25% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Cost/volume/profit analysis a. Breakeven analysis b. Profit performance and alternative operating levels c. Analysis of multiple products | |
2. Marginal analysis a. Sunk costs, opportunity costs, and other related concepts b. Marginal costs and marginal revenue c. Special orders and pricing d. Make vs. buy e. Sell or process further f. Add or drop a segment g. Capacity considerations | ||
3. Pricing a. Pricing methodologies b. Target costing c. Elasticity of demand d. Product life-cycle considerations e. Market structure considerations | ||
D. Risk Management (10% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Enterprise risk a. Types of risk b. Risk identification and assessment c. Risk mitigation strategies d. Managing risk | |
E. Investment Decisions (10% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Capital budgeting process a. Stages of capital budgeting b. Incremental cash flows c. Income tax considerations d. Evaluating uncertainty | |
2. Capital investment analysis methods a. Net present value b. Internal rate of return c. Payback d. Comparison of investment analysis methods | ||
F. Professional Ethics (15% - Levels A, B, and C) | 1. Business ethics a. Moral philosophies and values b. Ethical decision making |
Also check -
Apart from the syllabus, candidates must check the exam pattern of US CMA 2023. Getting an idea about how the exam will be conducted is a good way to start your preparation. The CMA exam will be held in virtual mode at global test centres of ICMA. The duration of the exam will be 100 minutes. Detailed information on US CMA exam pattern 2023 has been given below:
US CMA 2023 Exam Pattern
Name of Subjects | Part 1: Financial Planning, Performance, and Analytics Syllabus Part 2: Strategic Financial Management |
Duration of the exam | 4 Hours |
Number of Questions | 102 |
Type of Questions | 100 MCQs 2 30 minute essays |
There are two papers in US CMA - Part 1 and Part 2
A total of 102 questions are asked in the US CMA exam.
There are 100 multiple choice questions and two 30 minute essays in US CMA 2023.
The duration of the US CMA exam is four hours.
Budget analysis, in a nutshell, entails thoroughly analyzing the details of a financial budget. The budget analysis aims to better understand and manage revenue. Budget analysts assist in the achievement of financial targets, the preservation of profitability, and the pursuit of long-term growth for a business. Budget analysts generally have a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a closely related field. Knowledge of Financial Management is of prime importance in this career.
The invention of the database has given fresh breath to the people involved in the data analytics career path. Analysis refers to splitting up a whole into its individual components for individual analysis. Data analysis is a method through which raw data are processed and transformed into information that would be beneficial for user strategic thinking.
Data are collected and examined to respond to questions, evaluate hypotheses or contradict theories. It is a tool for analyzing, transforming, modeling, and arranging data with useful knowledge, to assist in decision-making and methods, encompassing various strategies, and is used in different fields of business, research, and social science.
An underwrite plays crucial roles in the finance and insurance industry and works for mortgage, loan, and insurance companies. He or she analyses applications for insurance policies and assess the risk capacity to decide whether to approve application or reject. He or she assesses and evaluates the risk of another party for a fee in the form of commision or premium.
Underwriters have strong analytical skills and they understand the insurance principle to evaluate the health of potential clients. They collaborate with agents, brokers, and to their clients to collect information and explain the insurance product details. They work on all kinds of insurance like mortgage, health insurance, life insurance, automobile, and several other kinds of insurance.
Finance Executives manage money, overseeing a company's income, expenses, and investments. They monitor financial transactions, create and assess reports like cash flows, and strategies to enhance profit margins and reduce expenses. Their role is crucial for staying competitive and making wise market decisions in response to current dynamics.
Finance Executives establish strategic financial goals, objectives, and performance criteria. Strong accounting and analytical skills are fundamental to this role. While often working fixed hours, they may extend their work hours to meet deadlines. This career is well-suited for individuals with a keen understanding of finance, attention to detail, and the ability to navigate complex financial landscapes.
A product manager is a professional who determines what a product should do and how it should look like. A product manager analyses customer needs and combines them with company goals to develop a product that satisfies everyone. He or she works in coordination with different departments like engineers, salespersons, and product designers to ensure everyone works towards achieving the company's goals.
A product manager develops strategies and plans to help the employees work towards a common goal that is to develop a product that the customers demand. He or she plays the role of the first point of contact in the organisation for anyone who needs to know about the product. Concerning larger programmes, they work with Technical Program Managers to deliver results.
Operations manager is tasked with supervising the financial and business experts involved in the production of goods and services. A career as operations manager needs to supervise many divisions and coordinate daily activities. The role of operations manager is to oversee and manage diverse activities which is part of a profession as an operations manager.
All levels of an organisation's operational activities are overseen by an operations manager. He or she is in charge of selecting candidates, imparting instruction, and managing quality control programmes. Operations managers also develop plans for process improvements to ensure that everyone finishes their work on schedule. He or she must regularly evaluate budgets, manage costs, and analyse data and statistics.
A stock analyst is an individual who analyses and evaluates various stocks and securities in the financial market. He or she in the stock analyst career forecasts stock market results, normally with an emphasis on the securities that a company or firm invests in. He or she also prepares scientific reports on financial forecasts, predictions, and recommendations based on a stock's expected profit.
Individuals who enjoy learning and data processing, are good problem solvers, and have a strong work ethic will excel in the stock market analyst sector. Students can pursue a BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration), MBA (Master of Business Administration), M.Stat (Master of Statistics) to opt for a career in stock market analysis
A Researcher is a professional who is responsible for collecting data and information by reviewing the literature and conducting experiments and surveys. He or she uses various methodological processes to provide accurate data and information that is utilised by academicians and other industry professionals. Here, we will discuss what is a researcher, the researcher's salary, types of researchers.
Welding Engineer Job Description: A Welding Engineer work involves managing welding projects and supervising welding teams. He or she is responsible for reviewing welding procedures, processes and documentation. A career as Welding Engineer involves conducting failure analyses and causes on welding issues.
A Quality Assurance (QA) Manager, synonymous with a Quality Assurance Manager, holds a pivotal role in ensuring products meet predefined standards. Responsible for planning, directing, and formulating control policies, the QA Manager safeguards company efficiency and profitability. By scrutinizing products for flaws and ensuring compliance with internal and external requirements, they uphold quality, validating the effectiveness of quality assurance teams in maintaining high standards before product release.
A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product.
A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.
A Production Manager oversees manufacturing processes, ensuring timely and budgeted delivery of products. Responsible for safe, cost-effective production meeting quality standards, their role adapts to the production system. Also known as an Operations Manager, they manage human and material resources, contributing to efficient production and service delivery.
A product manager is a professional who determines what a product should do and how it should look like. A product manager analyses customer needs and combines them with company goals to develop a product that satisfies everyone. He or she works in coordination with different departments like engineers, salespersons, and product designers to ensure everyone works towards achieving the company's goals.
A product manager develops strategies and plans to help the employees work towards a common goal that is to develop a product that the customers demand. He or she plays the role of the first point of contact in the organisation for anyone who needs to know about the product. Concerning larger programmes, they work with Technical Program Managers to deliver results.
A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans.
A Structural Engineer designs buildings, bridges, and other related structures. He or she analyzes the structures and makes sure the structures are strong enough to be used by the people. A career as a Structural Engineer requires working in the construction process. It comes under the civil engineering discipline. A Structure Engineer creates structural models with the help of computer-aided design software.
The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.